Door latch



Sfipt. 18, 1956 I J METTLER 2,763,504

DOOR LATCH Filed June 9, 1954 //AR Hm- N A\\ I /3 Hg 3 8 Jacob-l-TMeN/er l2 I N V EN TOR.

United States Patent DOOR LATCH Jacob F. Mettler, Menno, S. Dak.

Application June 9, 1954, Serial No. 435,411

ll Claim. (Cl. 292-202) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in door latches particularly for farm outbuildings and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device of this character which may be readily actuated from either side of the door on which it is installed.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide a latch of the character described which is adapted to secure the door in either closed or open position.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a door latch of the aforementioned character which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly eflicient and reliable in use, compact and which may be manufactured and installed at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view looking at the outside of a door equipped with a latch in accordance with the present invention, showing said door closed.

Figure 2 is an elevational view, showing the door in open position and looking at the inside thereof.

Figure 3 is a view in horizontal section, taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that reference character 5 designates a portion of a building having a door opening 6 therein. A door 7 for the opening 6 is hingedly mounted at 8 on the building 5 for swinging movement in a horizontal plane.

Pivotally mounted on the free end portion of the door 7 is an arcuate latch bolt 9 of suitable flat metal, Formed integrally with the inner periphery of the latch bolt 9, adjacent to but spaced from one end thereof, is an arm 10. A pivot bolt 11 pivotally secures the arm 10 to the outer side of the door 7. The pivot bolt 11 also secures one end portion of the substantially U-shaped operating handle 12 to the arm 10. The other end portion of the handle 12 is secured to the arcuate latch bolt 9 at an intermediate point by a connecting bolt 13. One end portion of the latch bolt 9 is engageable in the substantially U-shaped loop or keeper 14 which is provided therefor on the outside of the building 5 adjacent the opening 6.

Mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane on the inner side of the door 7 is a lever 15. The pivot bolt 11 also pivotally secures the lever 15 to the door 7. At its free end, the lever 15 terminates in an offset operating handle 16. The connecting bolt 13 passes through the door 7 and operatively connects the lever 15 to the latch bolt 9. The connecting bolt 13 is operable in an arcuate slot 17 (see Figure 2) which is provided therefor in the door 7. A spacing sleeve 18 is provided between the lever 15 and the latch bolt 9 on the connecting bolt 13. A resilient clip 19 on the inner side of the door 7 is engaged with the lever 15 for frictionally securing the latch bolt 9 in retracted or inoperative position.

It is thought that the operation of the latch will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, to operate the device from the exterior of the building, the handle 12 is grasped and the arcuate latch bolt 9 is swung about its axis, the pivot bolt 11 toward or away from the keeper 14 with which said bolt is engageable for securing the door in closed position. To operate the latch from the inner side of the door, the lever 15 is actuated through the medium of the handle 16, the motion being transmitted to the latch bolt 9 through the connecting bolt 13. Swinging movement of the members is limited by the arcuate slot 17. As hereinbefore stated, the resilient clip 19 is engageable with the lever 15 for releasably securing the latch bolt 9 in inoperative position. It is to be noted that the pivot bolt 11 constitutes common means for pivotally securing the members 9 and 15 to the door 7 and for securing one end portion of the handle 12 to said member 9. It also will be observed that the element 13 constitutes common means for securing the other end of the handle 12 and for operatively connecting the lever 15 to the member 9. The member or latch bolt 9 is also engageable with a keeper 20 on the exterior of the building 5 for securing the door 7 in open position.

It is believed that the many advantages of a door latch constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood and although a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A latch for a door having an arcuate slot therein, said latch comprising an arcuate latch bolt for swinging movement in a vertical plane on one side of the door coaxially with the slot and overlying same, an inwardly radially extending arm on said latch bolt, a substantially U-shaped operating handle extending between the free end portion of the arm and an intermediate portion of the latch bolt, an operating lever for swinging movement in a vertical plane on the other side of the door and traversing the slot, a pivot bolt extending through one end portion of the lever, the arm, the handle and the door for pivotally mounting said lever and arm on the door and for securing said handle to said arm, a connecting bolt operable in the slot and passing through the other end portion of the handle, the latch bolt and the lever for securing said handle to said latch bolt and for operatively connecting said lever to said latch bolt, an offset handle on the free end of the lever, and a resilient clip on the door engageable with said lever for frictionally securing the latch bolt in inoperative position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 63,466 Bryan Apr. 2, 1867 541,801 Barrett June 25, 1895 866,543 Walsh Sept. 17, 1907 1,229,564 Aagaard June 12, 1917 

